1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates tooth cleaning tools and more particularly, to a floss holder capable of holding a dental floss positively in a highly stretched condition for application.
2. Description of the Related Art
Disposable and floss-winding type floss picks are commercially available. A disposable floss pick, as shown in FIG. 1, is a disposable oral hygiene device generally made of plastic and dental floss in integrity. This kind of disposable floss pick has the drawback of low level of floss tension. During application, it is difficult to insert the dental floss into a narrow gap between teeth. When forcing the dental floss into a narrow gap with force, the dental floss may break. If the dental floss is broken or damaged, the disposable floss pick becomes useless and must be replaced. When cleaning the teeth after a meal, one disposable floss pick may be not insufficient. It is expensive to clean the teeth with multiple disposable floss picks after each meal. Further, using this kind of disposable floss pick to clean, the teeth is less comfort. Therefore, this kind of disposable floss pick is suitable for temporary use only when one goes out. A floss-winding type floss pick, as shown in FIG. 2, generally comprises a Y-shaped pick body having a shaft, two arms extended from one end of the shaft and a notch located at the distal end of each arm, and a floss-winding member located at the shaft adjacent to the arms. During application, pick up a piece of dental floss, and then wind one end of the piece of dental floss round the floss-winding member, and then extend the piece of dental floss through the notch at each arm, and then wind the other end of the piece of dental floss round the floss-winding member again. Thus, the piece of dental floss is stretched between the two arms for application. According to this design of floss-winding type floss pick, a certain length of dental floss must be used for each application. In consequence, the consumption of dental floss is faster. Further, the positioning of the installed dental floss is not accurately fixed, and the installed dental floss may be loosened during application. Further, because the Y-shaped pick body of floss-winding type floss pick is made out of a plastic material, the structural strength of the suspension arms is weak. In consequence, the installed dental floss is not highly stretched. Further, this design of floss-winding type floss pick has a large dimension. It is suitable for home use only, not suitable for use in outdoor public places.